RFC0786

Network Working Group S. Sluizer
Request for Comments: 786 J. Postel
ISI
July 1981
MAIL TRANSFER PROTOCOL:
ISI TOPS20 MTP-NIMAIL INTERFACE
INTRODUCTION
This document defines the ISI TOPS20s interface between the Mail
Transfer Protocol (MTP) and the Network Independent Mail Protocol
(NIMAIL) in terms of the files which implement it. The internal
structure and name of each file is described below.
For a complete understanding of the MTP protocol as well as the terms
used within this document, see RFC 780 "Mail Transfer Protocol", RFC
784 "ISI TOPS20 Implementation", and RFC 785 "ISI TOPS20 File
Defintitions". The NIMAIL is documented in IEN 169, "A Simple
NIFTP-Based Mail System".
DESCRIPTION
1. NIMAIL to MTP
NIMAIL will present mail for processing by MTP using the files
specified in RFC 785.
2. MTP to NIMAIL
MTP will present mail for processing by NIMAIL in files of the
following form:
address <CR><LF>
address <CR><LF>
address <CR><LF>
<CR><LF>
Via: USC-ISIE; date-time <CR><LF>
header
.
.
.
<CR><LF>
body
.
.
.
Where each address is of the form:
Sluizer & Postel Page [1]

July 1981 RFC 786
ISI TOPS20 MTP-NIMAIL Interface
user%host%host%host@host
And each address in the same file has the same "@host" part.
The date-time will be in the default TOPS20 ODTIM format
"dd-mmm-yy hh:mm:ss" (24 hour time).
The files will named "arbitrary.NIMAIL.-1", where "arbitrary" will
be somesort of date-time encoding for human uses. The NIMAIL will
not care in the least what the "arbitrary" part is. These files
will be placed into the NIMAIL directory on ISIE.
DISCUSSION
The NIMAIL and MTP will each perform a transformation of the address
information to create the appropriate input for the other system.
NIMAIL to MTP
The mail that arrives at NIMAIL with the information
joe%hostx%hosty%hostz@isie
will be presented to MTP with the information
FROM: <NIMAIL@ISIE>
TO: <@hostz,@hosty,joe@hostx>
MTP to NIMAIL
The mail that arrives at MTP with the information
FROM: <sam@SRI-NIC>
TO: <@ISIE,@hostz,@hosty,joe@hostx>
will be presented to NIMAIL with the information
joe%hostx%hosty@hostz
Via: ISIE
Page [2] Sluizer & Postel